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Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union

Submitted on 2016-09-06 15:37:38

Comment following arson attack at TV Inter in Kiev

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Comment by Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department following arson attack at TV Inter in Kiev

It was with outrage and great concern that we learned of the latest serious violation of the freedom of media speech and expression in Ukraine – the arson attack against TV Inter’s head offices in Kiev and the protests outside the building, which, regrettably, led to casualties. This is clear evidence of the lamentable human rights situation in Ukraine and also evidence of the artificially influenced atmosphere of hatred and fear and morbidly sensitive reaction to any alternative point of view. This is the real value of Kiev’s proclaimed commitment to European standards and Ukraine’s international obligations.

This situation is exacerbated by the fact that the authorities not only turn a blind eye to local nationalist and extremist organisations, but some senior officials’ statements even encourage them to take unlawful action.

We once again call on Kiev’s political ‘curators’ and the relevant international institutions and media rights organisations to pass principled legal and moral judgement on these extremist actions and demand an end to this deliberate policy of suppressing freedom of speech in Ukraine.